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Youngblood (1986 film)
Youngblood is a 1986 American sports/drama film directed, co-produced & co-written by Peter Markle (and written by John Whitman). It was released on January 31, 1986 by MGM/UA Entertainment Company. Plot Dean Youngblood, a 17-year-old farmhand from rural New York has dreams of playing in the National Hockey League. He voices these dreams to his father, Blaine but receives negative feedback, and it is not until his brother, Kelly convinces their father to let Dean try out that he is granted the chance to travel to Canada to try out for the Hamilton Mustangs. At the try-outs, Youngblood demonstrates the abilities which garnered him "92 goals in the New York League," but he also displays a lack of physical toughness that is so prized in Canadian junior hockey; this perceived weakness is pounced upon by a brutish player, Carl Racki, who is also trying out for the team and engages him in a fight. Youngblood quickly learns that flashiness and pure athletic ability will not be enough to be successful in this league. Despite being one-punched by Racki, the Mustangs' head coach Murray Chadwick (who was a former NHL All-Star with the New York Rangers), decides to place him on the team. Youngblood ingratiates himself to the other players through a hazing ritual in which members of the Mustangs pin Youngblood down, and Captain Derek Sutton shaves his testicles. He meets the coach's daughter Jessie after this incident and despite his embarrassment, an early attraction is felt. After his mentor and friend on the team, Derek Sutton, is brutally injured by Racki (now with a rival team), Youngblood returns home to the farm. After a pep-talk by Kelly about the nature of never quitting, Youngblood is inspired to learn how to survive on the ice. Dean's father Blane, who initially disapproved of his son playing, especially after Kelly had been injured ending a promising career, also teaches his son some fighting tricks, stating, "Its okay to hit a bag in the barn, but you've got to learn to survive on the ice." Youngblood returns to the team, ready to confront Racki in the final game of the Memorial Cup playoffs. The game ends with a dramatic, game-winning goal by Youngblood with 3 seconds left. Youngblood demands to be left in the game as time expires to confront Racki. Youngblood emerges victorious, landing several blows to the face and body of his nemesis Racki, and is carried off the ice on the shoulders of his teammates. Cast *Rob Lowe as Dean Youngblood *Patrick Swayze as Derek Sutton *Cynthia Gibb as Jessie Chadwick *Eric Nesterenko as Blane Youngblood *Jim Youngs as Kelly Youngblood *Ed Lauter as Murray Chadwick *Keanu Reeves as Heaver *George J. Finn as Carl Racki *Peter Faussett as Huey Hewitt *Simon Herring as Guard *Fionnula Flanagan as Miss McGill Production The filming of "Youngblood" took place in the east end of Toronto during the summer of 1984. The Ted Reeve Arena was used as the setting for the interior of the Hamilton Mustangs home rink while Scarborough Gardens Arena was used for the setting of the arena's exterior; a third city arena was also used for filming.. Several of the cast and crew had actual hockey experience and skills, though star Rob Lowe had to learn to skate; both he and Patrick Swayze used doubles for many of their on-ice skating scenes. Director and writer Peter Markle was a former minor-pro and international player for the USA. Cinematographer Mark Irwin, a Canadian, wore skates and a helmet and devised a special rig for shooting hockey scenes on the ice. The film's hockey consultant Eric Nesterenko was a two decade NHL veteran who also appeared as the father of the film's lead character. Keanu Reeves played goalie growing up and in high school. George Finn, who played villain Carl Racki, was a former OHL enforcer. Many of the other team members were actual NCAA or junior hockey players, some of whom went on to significant NHL careers. Robe Lowe later said he "hated" learning how to skate, saying: "I don’t like any sport where you’re already exhausted when you’re done putting on the equipment. But that said, once I got the equipment on and was out on the ice, I loved that. I loved hitting people, being hit, skating. I love the exertion and competition, so that was all great. But it’s a lot of work putting all of that shit on! Give me a surfboard and let me just paddle into the ocean." Box Office "Youngblood" ranked at #4 at the box office (behind films "Down and Out in Beverly Hills" "The Color Purple" and "Murphy's Romance), grossing $4,183,292 during its opening weekend. Domestically, it grossed $15,448,384. Reception "Youngblood" received a mediocre reception with critics finding the plot derivative. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has an approval rating of 38% based on 8 review with an average rating of 3.6/10. Roger Ebert gave the film a one-star rating, writing in his review that it "is not a bad movie, and indeed has moments of real conviction. But it is doomed by its plot." Desmond Ryan of the Philadelphia Inquirer said that the film "runs out of gas halfway through the first period." Patrick Goldstein of the Los Angeles Times described it as "Flashdance on Ice." Despite that, the film became a popular VHS video rental and cable TV showing. Category:Films Category:1980s films Category:American films Category:Sports films Category:Drama films Category:R-rated films Category:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films